The needle in a haystack: appropriate use of interventional techniques in the management of chronic pain
1Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. wblau@aims.unc.edu
North Carolina Medical Journal
|August 15, 2013
Abstract:
Management of chronic pain is often difficult. Interventional approaches, such as joint injections and nerve blocks, can reduce dependence on opioid therapy, polypharmacy, and long-term costs; they can also dramatically improve pain control and function. However, interventional techniques must be used ethically and judiciously as part of a comprehensive approach to patient-centered care.
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